ALPHA PARTHE.I couldn't stand the sight of her anymore. Guilt twisted my guts. What if I was the one who hurt her?The Wilf Wolf pack is the most secure pack one can ever think of. No one dared trespass unless they had a death wish.This was from within. And to the best of my knowledge, I have no spies, no traitors, no enemy within... So, what the fuck happened to her?The only plausible explanation is ME. I happened to her.The curse's effect was different yesterday; it was almost as if something triggered a dangerous part of the curse. But I don't know what that is.Nevertheless, no matter what happened, this was the first time I am unknowingly attacking someone from within my pack."Alpha. We could look further into this. The cattle, Luxuria," Beta Tervan spoke, pulling me out of my deep thoughts.I adjusted on my seat, tossing away the scroll I had in hand, "There is no need. I think I did it," I said to him."This would be the first time, Alpha. You've never had any record of su
"Does this imply that I attacked her using a stake?" I asked, leaning back on my chair."That is highly impossible, Alpha. And you know it," Shikta said. She was trying to prove a point, and I could smell it."Tell me what you think," I asked her, studying her expression.I know she doesn't like Luxuria. No woman should like her. Not when she was a threat to them.Luxuria's beauty is the kind that women would kill for, a beauty that runs deeper than skin, etched into her very soul.She carries the same allure that once had me falling heads-over-heels for Rashina. Alpha Modred was lucky to have claimed her in time before she fell into my grasp. Otherwise, there would have been no Luxuria.I know Shikta feels insecure. I have over a hundred women who attend to my sexual needs, and she had never had the need to be jealous of them or to feel insecure. But this was different.Shikta shifted uncomfortably on her seat, leaning forward, "Alpha, Luxuria is bad luck. There is no arguing that. N
ALPHA PARTHE.It had been days, yet Luxuria still lay in a fragile state, her body recovering slowly. I wasn't sure how much longer I could bear it. A part of me—the beast that stirred restlessly beneath the surface—wanted her fully healed, fully alive.She was awakening something inside me that had refused to be tamed, a fire that flickered more dangerously with each passing moment I spent in her presence.I stood at the edge of her chamber, watching her sleep. She was utterly oblivious to the world around her, her breath soft and even, completely unaware that a predator stood silently, watching her like he always stalked his prey before ending them.Her buttery, silken skin glowed faintly in the moonlight that filtered through the narrow window, casting a delicate sheen over her naked shoulders.She was the kind of woman who could make a man beg for redemption, make him want to be better, and repent for every sin just for the chance to touch her again. But I was not that man.No, I
I knew that. She had always been mine.My hands roamed over her body, feeling every curve, every soft plane of her skin, but it was Luxuria I saw in my mind. It was her body I imagined beneath me, her voice I wanted to hear, pleading for more.Her breath quickened, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession as I pressed my body against hers, pinning her to the wall. Her heart raced beneath my palm as I gripped her throat, feeling her pulse quicken under my hand.The beast stirred inside me, hungry, insatiable. My fingers tangled in her long, dark hair, tugging it back roughly, exposing the curve of her neck.Her skin flushed beneath my grip, and I could feel her body trembling, but it wasn't fear. It was anticipation. Shikta lived for this, for the darkness I unleashed on her when the beast inside me couldn't be controlled.I gripped her hips and pulled her roughly against me, my teeth grazing the side of her neck. The scent of her skin—warm, heady—mixed with the hunger that had
LUXURIA.The woods were colder than I ever expected it to be, but that won't deter me from my mission tonight.For a moment, I got scared when Alpha Parthe watched me silently in my chamber. What was running through his mind? Was he planning on killing me?The thought of that man being in close proximity to me scares me to death. I guess I'll have to avoid him throughout my stay in his pack.Thankfully, he has other women who satisfy him. He won't even have the time to want me around him.The thoughts of Kahel plagued me for days. He might think I have forsaken or forgotten him. I had planned on going to see him after I arrived at the Wild Wolf pack before I got into the situation that kept me bedridden for days.I sincerely pray he understands.I navigated through the pack border.The security at the Wild Wolf pack was tight. Little wonder no rogue can sneak past them. But not me. I had my way.Being the Alpha's daughter of the Mountain Ash Pack, I've had the privilege of learning ab
Kahel watched as Luxuria disappeared into the darkness.His chest tightened, panic and regret clawing at his insides, but his legs felt like they were rooted to the ground. He couldn't move.He had destroyed her. And he had lost her."Luxuria!" Kahel called out one last time, his voice desperate and hoarse, but the sound was swallowed by the night, his words lost in the cold wind that whipped through the trees.She didn't stop. Not even a glance at him.Rella appeared at the door, her arms wrapped loosely around her waist, a smirk curling her lips as she watched Luxuria fade into the distance. "Well, that went well," she said, her voice dripping with amusement.Kahel's fists clenched at his sides as he turned to face her, his heart pounding with a mixture of fury and self-loathing. "Shut up, Rella."Her smirk only widened as she stepped closer, her gaze flickering toward the direction Luxuria had run. "I told you this would happen, Kahel. You knew she'd find out eventually. Nothing st
SHIKTA."She is in the squalid keep," I said with so much amusement that it felt so wrong.I've never been so proud of my Alpha as I am today."That serves her right. I am certain she would enjoy the company of those monstrous rats in there," Zendaya, a young girl I can call my confidant, said with a laugh while applying oil to my hair.I and Zendaya have been close for years now, since the day she and her mother came into the pack, seeking refuge. I protected her from bullies as I was older than her.She takes me as a big sister and I see her as a little sister, even though we both satisfy the Alpha in bed.One of the reasons I chose her is because she does not intend to fight over the Luna position with me. Unlike the other mistresses.She acknowledges the fact that I am her superior, and she keeps it that way.With that, she can keep on enjoying favors from me."But do you think it's enough to guarantee my position with the Alpha?" I asked, hoping for reassurance."I think the Alph
LUXURIA.I can't tell how long I've been here. Days have blended into a haze of cold, damp darkness. My body trembles from the chill seeping through the stone walls, but it's the severe hunger that's worse.They only bring food in long, excruciating intervals—once every day, if that. My stomach growls in protest, but the fear that clutches at me is louder.I've been here for three days. Three endless, torturous days. At least, that's what I think. Time feels warped in this dungeon—this cursed place that stinks of decay and rot. The smell makes me gag every time I breathe, but what really drives me mad is the rats.They're everywhere.Monstrous, oversized rats scurrying across the filthy floor. Their large bodies brush against my legs as they dart by, their sharp claws scraping the stone.I shudder every time they come near, my heart racing in panic. I can feel them, crawling, watching, waiting for me to break.I hate them with a passion I never knew I had. My body tenses at the sound
ALPHA PARTHE.Urik's words had refused to fade away since I had that triggering conversation with him. I wanted to dismiss it, but I couldn't.Just as much as I know he and Tervan hated each other, I never thought Urik would stoop so low as to make up such stories about Tervan.How could he ever suggest that Tervan might be up to something fishy against the pack? He also suggested, although without proof or enough conviction, that Tervan might know Luxuria's whereabouts.It made me laugh so hard, even though a tiny part of me was trying to betray the friendship I had shared with Tervan to believe what Urik was trying to say.Wearing this black cloak on this cold night, preparing to secretly follow Tervan, my trusted friend and Beta, to see if he was trying to betray me, seemed like a betrayal in itself. But Urik had insisted, and in order to prove him and a part of myself wrong, I agreed to trail Tervan tonight."Alpha, he's on the move." Urik mind-linked me, and I straightened up imm
LUXURIA.I had lost count of how long I'd been in this lonely hell. I hated myself. I felt like ending it all.Rorden had made me remember every single thing he made me forget, including the two times he made me betray my mate.I had cried out my eyes each time the memories came crawling in... The way he made me comply without a choice while he fucked me the way he pleased... It all made me hate myself even more for ever trusting him.All through my stay in his pack, he had refused to give me potions to take. In his words, he said, "I am preparing you for the big day ahead."What big day was he talking about? And why did I need to stay away from the potions that should help me feel better?The curse was coming back in full swing - the red flashes, the ache in my head, the uncontrollable anger, the hunger for blood and chaos... It was becoming overwhelming."Oh, Selene, please save me," I whispered as I curled myself on the bed, trying to shield myself from the pain I was feeling.My d
ALPHA PARTHE.Urik finally got my attention. Any topic that had to do with my mate was a welcomed one.He insisted on speaking with me alone, even after I told him to speak freely with Tervan here.I reluctantly dismissed Tervan, promising to see him as soon as I was done with Urik.The feud between these two keeps piling up, and I can't tell what is happening between them. I knew they were never best of friends, but I never expected it to turn into a full-blown hatred for each other.These were my Beta and Gamma, for Selene's sake!"This had better be good," I said, gesturing for him to sit, but he declined."I prefer to stand, Alpha. You aren't sitting either," He said with a small shrug."So. What about her? You finally have information about her whereabouts?" I asked, resting both my hands on the edge of the table. The tension in my muscles was becoming unbearable. I needed something to hold on to."Before I begin, please secure the place. I want your ears to be the only ones that
ALPHA PARTHE.I was losing my mind. It's been two days now, and my warriors still haven't found a clue as to where my mate - Luxuria - has gone.Rorden was also nowhere to be found.Right from childhood, Rorden always left the pack and came back at will. I never saw the need to find out where he'd been going or where he had made his second home. It was never my concern.But right now, I wish I had paid attention to those details.Perhaps she had gone to be with Rorden to continue their forbidden love story.Fuck!I punched the wall behind me, and it cracked, bringing out dust and stone particles.My heart felt so empty, even though I had rejected her, and she was no longer a part of me.A knock sounded on my door, and it took everything in me not to yell at whoever was at the door, "Who is it?""It is I, Alpha," I heard Shikta from the other side of the door."What do you want?" I asked but didn't let her respond, "Leave. I'm busy," I said.It went still for a while, but I knew she ha
LUXURIA."I'll never be yours, Rorden! Not even in your wildest dream!" I summoned up the courage and spat in his face, "You are despicable. You made me trust you and ended up stabbing me in the back. How do you feel? Didn't you feel even a shred of guilt while at it?""No. I never felt guilty. I knew all I was doing was for the greater good." He turned around and walked toward the throne, "And, sorry, I killed your father. I know you won't think much about it because he was a coward, but just so you know... I was the one who killed him." He added before sitting.I stood with my fists clenched by my sides. I had stopped sobbing. All I felt for the man sitting in front of me was pure hatred. I felt like strangling him to death.Yes, I didn't think much about my father's death. I could say he deserved whatever death came his way, but Rorden? Why was it he who had to kill Odren?I took slow, cautious steps toward him, my fists still clenched tightly by my side.Suddenly, the door opened u
LUXURIA.The world was spinning, tilting on an axis I no longer recognized. I stared at him—at Rorden—my mind grappling with the truth I didn't want to believe."So it was all you? All along?" I didn't even know the right question to ask. I was confused, speechless, hurt... Scared. I was all alone with him. He had dismissed the girls who had brought me in, and I was now at his mercy. It's not like the girls would have been able to do anything to help me should they be here, and he tried to harm me."Yes," He replied, "All along."I shook my head, trying to piece together the shattered fragments of my thoughts, "Why, Rorden? Why would you do this? Why would you…?" My words faltered, tangled in the knot of emotions choking me.He closed the distance between us and gave me a dark smile."How...? Explain this—explain you! Why are you called the Blood Alpha? You're a wizard, Rorden!" I demanded as the questions kept coming in scattered bits.He smiled at me so tenderly that I would have be
LUXURIA.I had been walking for what felt like an eternity. My body ached. I also felt a slight pain in my lower abdomen. But... It wasn't that time of the month yet. Why was I...?My thoughts spiraled on their own, and the memories of all that had happened earlier came flooding in - Dashi's death, waking up in Rorden's chamber, the humiliation, and above all, my mate's rejection. I still felt the pain so fresh in my heart.I wished to pass from sleep to death, but Selene, in her infinite cruelty, refused to grant me that mercy. I guess she wasn't done punishing me yet. She didn't let death take me in my sleep.Wait.I had slept off on the wet ground somewhere in the woods. I was cold and shaking but had no choice after walking until sundown.But how was it possible that I was lying on something so soft and impossibly warm now?My eyes snapped open immediately, and every grogginess I felt dissipated immediately, replaced by a surge of confusion and wariness.This wasn't the wet ground
ALPHA PARTHE.This wasn't what I wanted. The ache in my chest was unbearable. It wasn't supposed to feel like this—this piercing, hollow pain that refused to stop no matter how much I tried to justify the judgment I passed on my mate.I had made the right decision. I had to believe that. Yet, no amount of self-convincing could quiet the storm raging inside me.I needed explanations. Perhaps it would quench this constant ache in my heart.Not long after she left, I sent some of my trusted guards to look for her and take her to one of my secret hideouts in the woods, where I used to go as a child whenever my father was in one of those moods where he'd feel like killing me.I'd been trying to reach them to see if they'd found her, but now, they are unreachable through the mind link.The last time they updated me, they said they had found no tracks, no sign of her presence. It was as if she had vanished, swallowed whole by the earth itself, and that they might have to go outside the pack'
SHIKTA.It was everything I had dreamed of, everything I had fought for, prayed for and schemed to achieve. Now, it was finally mine.Sitting in my chamber, surrounded by maids, their trembling hands fussing over the most exquisite dress I had ever laid eyes on—ironically, one chosen by Luxuria herself—I could almost taste victory.Guests from near and far were already pouring into the fortress. Even Alpha Modred had arrived!I closed my eyes, savoring the moment.Oh, Selene! Now I could look Rashina in the eyes and tell her I finally won... I'd tell her I said so. Alpha Parthe has finally become mine, and I, his Luna."What color would you want?" The lowlife of a maid asked me, and it was all I could do not to hit her. She was so small and pathetic.I turned sharply, fixing her with a glare so cold it made her flinch. "How dare you refer to me so casually and without respect?" I hissed, my voice like ice.The poor creature's face drained of color. She immediately bowed, her hands clas